A thermoelectrical device usually comprises a thermocouple consisting of two conducting paths with two different conductive materials. The two conductive materials may be different metal alloys (e.g. chrome) and iron) or different semiconductors or a combination of a semiconductor and a metal alloy (e.g. p-doped silicon and copper). At a first end of the thermocouple, the two (parallel) conducting paths are electrically connected to each other so that a material-junction of the thermocouple is generated. At the second end, the two conducting paths are not connected so that there are two open contact points. Between the two open contact points a voltage VAB, also referred to as the Seebeck voltage, is generated in case of a temperature gradient between the first and second end of the thermocouple.
The fields of applications for such a thermocouple or such a thermoelectrical device based on the Seebeck effect is manifold. The thermoelectrical device may be used as a thermosensor for measuring the temperature difference between two points, namely the two ends of the thermocouple. Furthermore, the thermoelectrical device can be used as a thermoelectrical generator (TEG) for generating electrical energy. The underlying physical effect may be inverted so that a temperature difference may be generated between the two ends of the thermoelectrical device in response to an applied current between the two contact points of the two conducting paths. This application is called a thermoelectric cooler and heater (TECH) or Peltier element. Thermoelectrical devices and especially miniaturized thermoelectrical devices may be produced by semiconductor manufacturers.